A cargo vessel sailing under the Syrian flag ran aground on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus in Istanbul on Saturday, 20 November 2004, damaging property at two waterfront villas in the Uskudar district.
The ship, identified as the Aradosh, went out of the captain's control before grounding, tearing up the gardens and swimming pools of the two holiday homes. Strong, gusty winds were sweeping through the city at the time, and forecasters were calling for snow the following day.
The vessel eventually freed itself and resumed its passage, but maritime police intercepted it near the entrance to the Sea of Marmara and detained the crew for questioning. The precise cause of the grounding had not been established.
Such accidents are not unusual on the Bosphorus, a narrow, twisting waterway that ranks among the world's most heavily trafficked shipping corridors. The incident was reported by the Anatolia news agency.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in November 2004, in its own words.